Rachael Myrow here, host of the California Report, with a handful of links to cool and/or important stories outside the Bay Area local readers should check out.
- School Lunches in Affluent Districts Emerge as Moneymakers (New York Times)
- 4 Studios Plan to Put New Movies on Home Screens Sooner (New York Times)
- Saturn shines brightest Sunday (Riverside Press Enterprise)
- Desert blooms a rite of spring (San Diego Union Tribune)
- Obama to raise money for Dems in California (Wall Street Journal)
8:30 a.m. – SAN FRANCISCO - CONTINUED PROSECUTION TESTIMONY IN THE PERJURY TRIAL OF HOME-RUN CHAMPION BARRY BONDS. THE NEXT WITNESSES WILL BE DR. ARTHUR TING, BONDS' FORMER ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON; KATHY HOSKINS, HIS FORMER PERSONAL SHOPPER; AND DRUG-TESTING EXPERT DON CATLIN. (NOTE: THE SESSION WILL END EARLY AT 1:30 P.M. AND WILL NOT HAVE A LUNCH BREAK. OVERFLOW SEATING WITH A CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION FEED IS AVAILABLE IN THE CEREMONIAL COURTROOM ON THE 19TH FLOOR AND THE MEDIA ROOM ON THE FIRST FLOOR. RECORDING OR PHOTOGRAPHING THE AUDIO AND VIDEO FEED IS NOT ALLOWED.) COURT OF U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE SUSAN ILLSTON, 450 GOLDEN GATE AVE. CONTACT: DEFENSE ATTORNEY ALLEN RUBY (650) 470-4500; U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SPOKESMAN JACK GILLUND (415) 436-6599.
8:30 a.m. - LOS ANGELES - The California Film Commission will stage a “speed dating” breakfast to match film and television producers with representatives from many of the state's 50-plus local film offices. The event will also include an update on the performance of California's Film and TV Tax Credit Program. Sofitel Hotel, 8555 Beverly Blvd. Contact: Erik Deutsch, PR, (323) 851-2455, or cell, (310) 597-9245.
12 p.m. – SAN FRANCISCO - OPENING DAY OF WONDERCON COMIC BOOK AND POP CULTURE CONVENTION. THROUGH SUNDAY. MOSCONE CENTER SOUTH, 747 HOWARD ST. CONTACT: ROSE ANNE RAPHAEL (510) 549-2994.
4 p.m. - LOS ANGELES - HempCon 2011 will begin at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Continues through Sunday. South Hall K, 1201 S. Figueroa St. Contact: (626) 961-6522.
Fresno Bee
Jury verdict mixed in contamination case
Fresno Bee -
A federal jury late Thursday delivered a mixed verdict in a major toxic contamination case, finding the cancer-causing chemical hexavalent chromium migrated into a Merced-area neighborhood via the air and in a canal, ...
Get your fill of indie fare at Fresno Film Festival
Los Angeles Times
Barry Bonds' ex-aide says she saw personal trainer inject Bonds in the navel
By Maura Dolan, Los Angeles Times
Kathy Hoskins, a family friend who worked as a personal shopper for the San Francisco Giants slugger, contradicts his sworn testimony before a federal grand jury.
Doctor with ties to fertility scandal won't be extradited by Mexico
By Kim Christensen, Los Angeles Times
U.S. prosecutors lose bid to bring Dr. Ricardo Asch back to face charges in a fertility scandal that unfolded at UC Irvine 16 years ago.
Bill would make it easier for California farmworkers to unionize
By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
The legislation would give farmworkers the option of unionizing without the usual petition, followed by a secret-ballot election. Instead they could submit cards signed by a majority of workers to state labor officials.
James Franco options Steve Erickson's 'Zeroville'
James Franco has optioned Steve Erickson's novel "Zeroville," publisher Europa Editions announced Thursday. The book was among the LA Times top books of 2007; author Erickson teaches in the creative writing program at CalArts. ...
New York Times
‘Milk Is Probably O.K.,’ but Radiation Fear Lingers
The minuscule amounts of radiation found last week in batches of milk on the West Coast is not dangerous to humans, experts said, but consumers remained wary.
School Lunches in Affluent Districts Emerge as Moneymakers
School lunches have become fund-raisers for several affluent school districts in the Bay Area that contract with private companies to provide the food and then charge students per meal.
Airport Art Is Not an Oxymoron, at Least Not at SFO
With the reopening of Terminal 2, the San Francisco International Airport becomes an even more important destination for serious art. Yes, art.
4 Studios Plan to Put New Movies on Home Screens Sooner
A move to release some films through on-demand services two months after their theater releaser drew complaints from theater owners.
Riverside Press-Enterprise
Saturn shines brightest Sunday
Skywatchers won't even need a telescope to see the planet's ring; a set of binoculars with a 20-power magnification should suffice, astronomers say
Supervisors sought again by grand jury
Four of the San Bernardino board are being subpoenaed to testify in a criminal matter
SKYDIVERS KILLED: Pair collide in mid-air over Perris, fall to their deaths
DOG HURT IN POT BUST: Report of vicious canine leads to marijuana stash, police say
Sacramento Bee
Navy panel won't oust gay sailor
By Lewis Griswold - Published: 12:00 am
A gay sailor at Lemoore Naval Air Station says a Navy panel apparently agreed with his lawyer's argument that "don't ask, don't tell" is dead.
San Diego Union Tribune
Desert blooms a rite of spring
This year’s production is not quite as flamboyant as some previous years. Don’t count on fields of flowers as far as the eye can see, but an ensemble cast of colorful characters is still putting on a show.
San Diego econ index jumps record 1.9%
SF Chronicle
Napa sheep slaughter solved: Culprits were cougars
Six dead lambs were found scattered among leaves and brush in the woodlands of Napa County's Mount Veeder area, some half-buried and...
Oakland gardener questions need for permit to sell produce
Novella Carpenter took over a vacant lot on a hardscrabble corner of West Oakland eight years ago and turned it into a working farm of...
Jean Quan leaves budget choices to Oakland council
Oakland Mayor Jean Quan released a series of budget options Wednesday evening, the first salvo in an attempt to solve what she called...
Debate over Botanical Garden fee
The fate of the controversial admission fee charged to non-San Francisco residents who visit the San Francisco Botanical Garden at...
Barry Bonds trial: Surgeon contradicts key witness
Barry Bonds' personal assistant said she saw trainer Greg Anderson inject Bonds in the abdomen before a Giants road trip in 2002. But...
S.F. Police Chief Godown answers latest charges
San Francisco's interim police chief on Thursday rejected charges by the public defender that videotape of a Richmond District drug...
San Jose Mercury News
Summary of Gov. Brown's pension reform proposal
1. Eliminate Purchase of Airtime. Would eliminate the opportunity, for all current and future employee members of all state and local retirement systems, to purchase additional retirement service credit. (RN 14777) (Note Walters, SB 522, ...
Times-Standard
WSJ (Search Term: California)
Morgan Stanley on Tesla: California Dreaming? We Don't Think So
California dreaming? We don't think so. In our view, the conditions are ripe for a shake-up of a complacent, century-old industry heavily invested in the status quo of internal combustion. The risks are high. So is the opportunity. Enter Tesla. ...
Fed Kept Taps Open For Banks In Crisis
Wall Street Journal -
One of the biggest secrets of the financial crisis was disclosed Thursday when the Federal Reserve released thousands of pages of data showing heavy discount-window borrowing by foreign banks, regional US banks and ...
Obama to raise money for Dems in California
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama plans to raise money for Democrats during a two-day swing through California in the coming...
Water Shortage Looms in Southwest, Despite Steep Rise in Giant Reservoir's Level
For the 30 million Americans who depend on the Colorado River for their water, this past winter's soaking rains and snows...
Further Reading
'Parent Trigger' Saved in Court by First Amendment; Charter-School Petitioners ...
LA Weekly (blog) - - Mar 22, 2011
The last few months have been a painstaking uphill battle for Parent Revolution, the group of organizers and McKinley Elementary School parents trying to turn one vastly underperforming Compton campus into ...